Magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system
View Patent ↗A magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system designed to improve access to showers or bathtubs in confined spaces while preventing water leakage. The system includes a threshold track mounted along the bathing area base, left and right striker beams attached vertically to opposing walls, a top track connecting the striker beams, and a shower liner suspended between the threshold and top tracks using movable liner holders. The threshold track features a low-profile design for easy entry, while the liner incorporates a splash guard to block water from escaping beneath it. Magnetic strips along the striker beams and liner edges engage upon closure, forming a continuous seal along both sides and the base. The system allows smooth manual opening and closing while maintaining a secure, water-tight barrier, offering an effective alternative to traditional shower doors.
1 . A magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system, comprising:
(A) a threshold track, extending between a bathing area entrance left wall and a bathing area entrance right wall, comprising
(a) a threshold mounting surface, for fixedly mounting the threshold track to an edge of a bathing area base located at a bathing area entrance,
(b) a threshold sloped surface, configured to minimize profile of the threshold track leading into a bathing area and located therein the bathing area base, and
(c) a threshold channel;
(B) a left striker beam, having a left striker magnetic strip longitudinally affixed thereto; said left striker beam is fixedly-mounted to the bathing area entrance left wall in vertical orientation and perpendicular to the threshold track; said left striker beam is configured to be contiguous with the threshold track;
(C) a right striker beam, having a right striker magnetic strip longitudinally affixed thereto; said right striker beam is fixedly-mounted to the bathing area entrance right wall in vertical orientation and perpendicular to the threshold track; said right striker beam is configured to be contiguous with the threshold track;
(D) a top track, having a top track channel, fixedly-mounted to and extending horizontally between the left striker beam and the right striker beam;
(E) a plurality of liner holders, configured to linearly travel within the threshold channel and within the top track channel;
(F) a shower liner, suspended between and moveably coupled via the plurality of liner holders to the threshold track and the top track; wherein said shower liner is comprising
(a) a left shower liner edge, configured to have a left shower liner striker rail of corresponding length fixedly-attached thereto; said left shower liner striker rail comprises a left striker magnetic strip longitudinally affixed thereto configured to releasably attach to the left striker beam upon contact with it;
(b) a right shower liner edge, configured to have a right shower liner striker rail of corresponding length fixedly-attached thereto; said right shower liner striker rail comprises a right striker magnetic strip longitudinally affixed thereto configured to releasably attach to the right striker beam upon contact with it; and
(c) a splash guard, configured to prevent water splashing in the bathing area base from spilling onto the threshold track and outside the bathing area entrance;
(G) wherein said shower liner is operable for manual opening and closing by using the plurality of liner holders traveling within the threshold channel and within the top track channel, and for magnetically sealing the bathing area by making the left shower liner striker rail contact the left striker beam and the right shower liner striker rail contact the right striker beam.
2 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said bathing area comprises a shower stall and a bathtub.
3 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said bathing area base comprises a shower pan and a bathtub bottom.
4 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said left striker beam further comprise of a left striker beam tongue configured to be contiguous with the threshold track by using a left rabbet joint.
5 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said right striker beam further comprise of a right striker beam tongue configured to be contiguous with the threshold track by using a right rabbet joint.
6 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said top track further comprises a top track front wall, and a top track groove disposed between the top track front wall and the top track channel; wherein said top track groove is configured for contiguous insertion of the right striker beam tongue and the left striker beam tongue.
7 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said shower liner further comprises a top hem, a bottom hem, and a plurality of grommets disposed linearly along the top hem and the bottom hem.
8 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of liner holders are configured to linearly travel within the threshold channel and within the top track channel by using channel rollers.
9 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of liner holders further comprises a hook, fixedly connected to the channel rollers and configured to releasably hook onto one of the plurality of grommets.
10 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said left shower liner striker rail further comprises a left dual-function handle configured to operate from inside and outside of the bathing area.
11 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said right shower liner striker rail further comprises a right dual-function handle configured to operate from inside and outside of the bathing area.
12 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said threshold track further comprises a left threshold track end and a right threshold track end.
13 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said top track further comprises a left top track end and a right top track end.
14 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said left shower liner striker rail further comprises a left shower liner striker rail top end and a left shower liner striker rail bottom end.
15 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , wherein said right shower liner striker rail further comprises a right shower liner striker rail top end and a right shower liner striker rail bottom end.
16 . The magnetically sealed bathing area liner track system of claim 1 , further comprising: four end-cap carriages each having
(A) carriage channel wheels, configured to linearly travel within the threshold channel or within the top track channel;
(B) a carriage mounting platform, configured to interconnect the carriage channel wheels;
(C) a carriage holder pin, fixedly-mounted to the carriage mounting platform in perpendicular position to the threshold channel and the top track channel;
(D) wherein one of the four end-cap carriages is disposed inside the left threshold track end and is configured to be fixedly-attached via the carriage holder pin to the left shower liner striker rail bottom end;
(E) wherein one of the four end-cap carriages is disposed inside the left top track end and is configured to be fixedly-attached via the carriage holder pin to the left shower liner striker rail top end;
(F) wherein one of the four end-cap carriages is disposed inside the right threshold track end and is configured to be fixedly-attached via the carriage holder pin to the right shower liner striker rail bottom end; and
(G) wherein one of the four end-cap carriages is disposed inside the right top track end and is configured to be fixedly-attached via the carriage holder pin to the right shower liner striker rail top end;
whereby in conjunction with the four end-cap carriages, the left shower liner striker rail and the rights shower liner striker rail are interconnected with both the top track and the threshold track, resulting in improved rigidity of the left shower liner striker rail and the rights shower liner striker rail thereby facilitating smoother opening and closing movements of the shower curtain, aided by the dual-function handles.